iBoske | Occupant load determination and sprinkler requirements

jacqui bauer

What type of business do you want to open? Food service or bar. Day care (adult or child). Office. Residential. Retail. Other.
Food service/bars are permitted to have one occupant per 15 square feet. Look for former restaurants and bars, bowling alleys, theaters, gymnasiums, funeral parlors, or places of worship. If your occupant load will exceed 100 people, or if your space exceeds 5000sf, the building must be equipped with sprinklers..
Day cares are permitted to have one occupant per 35 square feet. Look for former day cares, dormitories, skating rinks, art galleries, retail stores, or gas stations (if tanks have been removed. You can also consider former uses listed under "Food service or bar" since these uses are built to a more stringent occupant load standard. If your occupant load will exceed 300 people, or if your space exceeds 12000sf, the building must be equipped with sprinklers..
Offices are designed for one occupant per 150 square feet of floor area. Look for former offices, industrial buildings, factories, outpatient clinics, vocational schools, hospitals, residential buildings, or hotels/motels. You can also consider former uses listed under "Food Service or Bar" or "Day Cares" since these uses are designed for a higher occupant load. If your office building will be more than 9,000 square feet in floor area, it may need to be equipped with sprinklers..
Residential buildings are designed for one occupant per 200 square feet of floor area. Look for former apartments or hotels, medical buildings, or offices. You may also consider former uses listed under "Food Service or Bar" and "Day Cares," since these uses are designed for a higher occupant load. Former storage facilities and warehouses may work, but will likely require additional work to meet the higher life-safety requirements. All residential buildings with more than 2 units must have auto.
Retail spaces are permitted to have one occupant per 60 square feet. Look for former retail spaces, schools, dormitories, libraries, skating rinks, art galleries, gas stations (fuel tanks removed). You may also consider former uses listed under "Food Service or Bar," "Day Cares," or "Offices" since these uses are built to a more stringent occupant load standard. If your occupant load will exceed 300 people, or if your space exceeds 12000sf, the building must be equipped with sprinklers..
Please contact PDSD staff to discuss occupancy requirements..